Surgical splint



July 12, 1932. o. A. FRUEHAUF SURGICAL SPLINT Filed March 19, 1928 Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED STATES OSCAR A. FRUEHAUF, orjnnraorr, ivrrcnrenlvf;

SURGICAL mm Application filed March 19,1928. Serial No. 262,733. '7

This invention relates to surgical splints and particularly to splints for use with bro-' ken or maimed fingers, thumbs or wrists.

An object of the invention is to provide a .5, splint for use with a broken or otherwise 1njured finger, thumb or wrist comprising a support engageable with the palm of the in jured hand and a plurality of splint members selectively attachable to said support and 1 proportioned and fashioned to conform to the respective digits or to the injured wrlst.

A further object is to provide a surgical splint comprising a sheet-metal supporting plate engageable with the palm of an injured hand and further comprising a plurality of splints formed of wire curved and proportioned to conform to the respective fingers and thumb of such hand.

A still further object is to provide a finger splint having a terminally curved portion adapted to overlie and protect the nail of an injured thumb or finger.

Still another object is to provide a surgical splint comprising a plate engageable with the palm of a hand and hooked at one edge to laterally engage said hand and further comprising a plurality of splint members selectively attachable to said plate.

These and various other objects, the invention attains by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the herein described device showing the support thereof carrying all of the selectively attachable splint members and indicating the relation to said device of the hand and wrist to which it is applied.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the supporting plate of the device, showing the splint members in section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the complete device.

Fig. 4 perspectively illustrates the supporting plate 7 In these views reference character 1 designates a support consisting of a plate engageable with the palm of the hand and formed by two sheets of metal secured face to face by spot welding or other suitable means, the rear edge of said plate being curved as indicated at 1a to conform to the ball of thehand as best seen inFig. 1. It is preferred to hook one extremity of the plate 1 as indicated at 2 for engagement with the thumbed edge ofthe hand to assist in holding said plate properly positioned. The forward edge of said plate is formed with a plurality of sockets 3 produced preferably by spacing apart at suitable points the component sheet metal elements of said plate. Thes'ockets 3 arepaired as is best seen in Fig. 1 fordetachable engagement by the supporting extremities of wire splintforming members a of which four are provided, respectively conforming in shape and size to the fingers of a hand. The rear edge of the plate 1 is also formed with a pair of sockets 5, in which are removable insertable the corresponding extremities of a splint member 6 formed of wire and proportionedand fashioned to form a thumb support. The plate'lis also formed with a pair of sockets V 7 opening at its rear edge which are adapted to removably receive the corresponding ends of a relatively long wire splint member 8, proport-ioned and fashioned to extend along. the wrist of the hand engaged by plate 1 to sup port and reinforce suchwrist.

The splint members 4 are preferably return-bent at their free ends as indicated at 9, to overlie and protect the nails of the fingers engaging said members.

In the use of the described device there is applied to plate 1 only that splint member which conforms to the injured finger, thumb or wrist, or several of such members may be applied in case the injury extends to more than one part. 7 r

It is to be understood that the injured finger, thumb or wrist, together with the splint member engaging the same will be wrapped in bandages as will likewise be true of the palm of the injured hand so that the entire device will be securely held by such bandages in its proper position of use.

The device will be made in various sizes suitable for application to differently pro portioned hands and right and left-hand devices will be providedto conform to the right p and left hands. 100

The described device secures the important I advantage of permitting any injured one of' the digits ofa hand to be properly supported 7 and protected While leaving the remaining digits entirely free for use. Thus, a person sufiering from an injured thumb or finger is still permitted byv this device to have Sllffir cient useofthe damaged hand to ordinarily permitnontinuance of hisoruherldutiesu Y r While it will be apparent that the illus s 10 trated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated-toadequatelytul r fill the objects and advantages primarilyv statedfit is to be understood that*the"invention is susceptible t0 .variation,. modification and change Within the spirit and scope .of'the subjoinedaclaims. :WhatI-claimis V 7 7 ;1..- -A surgical splintcompris mgia supporting: plate. engageable-With the palmofan in- 7 $30 ured hand and tormed with sockets opening at its front andxrearedges, a pluralitvof .finger splint.members-selectively detachably '7 engageable With-thesockets: opening atthe tfront-edge ofisaidplate, and-splint members :fon engagement with the wrist and thumb of said. hand selectively detachablyr-engageable with thesockets opening at the: rear edge .of said plate,:saidzthumbrengaging splint mem- :-ber being later-ally; bent.

122 A surgical appliance comprising asheetnnetal plate proportioned to fit the palm -of; a hand,fthe length ofsaid plate being less than -its-.vvidth,..a plurality {of finger --spli-nts vdetachablv engageable with said plate I at its] :front =edge,--a rwrist splint rearwardly-pr ,1 j ecting :from and detachably engaging the rear. edge. of :Said plates and a thumb-splint Idetachably t engaging: the rear edge of.-.said

plateuan'dihaving: a portion overlapping said 49 wristvsplint V p Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

' OSCARlA. FRUEHAUF. 

